Fretz HMR-9 Rounded Wide Raising Hammer: Bowl and Vessel Guide
By Pepetools - Precision Engineered Professional Equipment | Published: 2026-10-31
Category: How-to Guides
Learn when to reach for the Fretz HMR-9 wide raising hammer and follow a step-by-step process to raise a bowl or vessel without common mistakes.
Quick answer
Reach for the Fretz HMR-9 when you need to stretch a broad area of metal from the inside to block a bowl or form a wide vessel. Its wide, longer profile makes it the right first hammer for hollow forming, while narrower hammers handle detail and tightening.
Why the HMR-9 suits broad hollow forms
The HMR-9 is built for blocking bowls and broader width strips into concave shapes. Its wide face covers more metal per strike, so you can move volume quickly without leaving deep, overlapping dents. That makes it a practical choice for the early stages of raising a bowl with a hammer, where the goal is to stretch the center and create a shallow dish before refining the walls.
Because the hammer is intended to stretch metal from the inside, it works best when you support the outside of the form on a stake or sandbag. Using it on an unsupported panel will stretch the metal unevenly and can cause buckling.
Wide vs narrow raising hammer: when to switch
A wide raising hammer like the HMR-9 is for bulk forming: blocking a bowl, opening a vessel, or spreading a wide strip into a concave curve. A narrow raising hammer is for tightening curves, refining transitions, and working near rims or corners where a wide face would bruise the form.
Start with the wide hammer, then switch to a narrow one as the form develops. If you keep using the wide face too late, you risk stretching thin walls and losing control of the silhouette.
Step-by-step: raising a bowl with the Fretz HMR-9
- Prepare and anneal the blank: Start with a circular blank of annealed metal. Clean the surface and mark a center point. Common mistake: skipping annealing or overheating the metal, which makes stretching uneven or causes cracks. Work with fully annealed metal and re-anneal before each raising pass.
- Set up support: Place the blank on a sandbag or a shallow concave stake. The support should contact the outside of the form so the metal can stretch inward without collapsing. Common mistake: using a hard, flat surface that leaves the center unsupported. The support must cradle the outside of the bowl as it forms.
- Block the center: Using the wider face of the HMR-9, strike from the inside in a spiral pattern from center outward. Overlap each blow by about one-third. Common mistake: hitting too hard in one spot, which creates deep dents that are hard to smooth. Use light, overlapping blows and let the hammer stretch the metal gradually.
- Raise the walls in passes: After the center is dished, tilt the blank and work around the circumference with the narrower face, compressing the metal against the support. Anneal when the metal stiffens. Common mistake: continuing to strike without annealing, which leads to work-hardening and cracking. Anneal whenever the metal resists or rings dull.
- Switch to a narrow hammer for refinement: Once the bowl shape is established, switch to a narrow raising hammer to tighten curves and smooth transitions. Common mistake: using the wide HMR-9 too long, which can thin the walls and distort the rim. Use the wide hammer for blocking and a narrow hammer for detail.
- Check symmetry and wall thickness: Rotate the bowl frequently and measure wall thickness with calipers. Adjust blows to even out thin spots. Common mistake: focusing on one area and making the wall too thin before checking. Measure often and correct asymmetry early.
Product facts
- Rounded Wide Raising Hammer, Fretz HMR-9: Wide and longer profile designed for blocking bowls and broader width strips into concave shapes. This shape moves more metal per strike, so you can rough out a bowl faster with fewer overlapping marks.
Rounded Wide Raising Hammer, Fretz HMR-9 - Rounded Wide Raising Hammer, Fretz HMR-9: Intended to stretch the metal from the inside, with face sizes 19mm x 10mm and 19mm x 7mm. The two face sizes let you choose a broader or slightly narrower contact area for different stages of hollow forming.
